By the time teams convene for Wednesday practices, Davante Adams may well have a new uniform assigned to him. The Raiders are aiming to be done with this process this week.
More specifically, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini indicates Las Vegas wants Adams to have a new home within the next 48 hours. Requesting a trade days ago, Adams is onboard with this timeline. While also offering that the Raiders want this deal done soon, veteran NFL reporter Jordan Schultz adds the team is still not prepared to settle for a below-market deal for its top offensive player.
The Jets and Saints remain the favorites, according to Russini, though the Steelers may be the top lurking team here. The most smoke has come out of New York, however, even if Adams is believed to have some concerns about Aaron Rodgers‘ post-2024 future there. The longtime Rodgers weapon had similar reservations about signing a Packers extension, with Rodgers in year-to-year mode at that point, and eventually made it known he preferred a Derek Carr reunion with the Raiders. That experiment fizzled quickly, and it is not hard to see why the Saints are involved.
Rodgers threw three interceptions Sunday, dropping the Jets to 2-3. New York’s two wins have come over downtrodden teams, and time is running out for the Joe Douglas-Robert Saleh-Nathaniel Hackett trio. The pressure on this Jets power structure makes it logical it would gamble on Adams by parting with a valuable future asset, rather than let their potential successors use it as Adams ends up elsewhere. The Jets have not been shy about catering to its quarterback’s wishes, so they should be expected to stay in this mix until the end.
The Raiders want at least a second-round pick for Adams, who is under contract through 2026. Mark Davis is believed to be resolute on that price for a player he was hesitant to give up this offseason. With Las Vegas in limbo, having again benched its starting quarterback (months after a trade-up effort failed), acquiring an asset for its top skill player has always made more sense than hanging onto a weapon that has seemed out of place for over a year.
A Saints arrival would require more Mickey Loomis cap gymnastics, but some of the odysseys the longtime GM has completed to reach offseason cap compliance certainly would not make such a journey unrealistic. The Saints, however, have barely $2.5MM in cap space. The Jets sit at $17.3MM. This would make New York a more appealing partner for Las Vegas, which would understandably prefer to avoid paying some of Adams’ salary to help the acquiring team. (A team obtaining Adams this week would be on the hook for $11.92MM in base salary, should the Raiders pay nothing.)
Though, this route can boost trade compensation, as the Broncos found out when they pried second- and third-rounders from the Rams for agreeing to pay most of Von Miller‘s 2021 salary. How much the Raiders would be willing to eat may well determine if the Saints are a viable option. The Steelers hold $10.5MM in cap room. If the Raiders move on now and not agree to pay any of Adams’ remaining base salary, they would save more than $19MM in cap space, much of which would stand to be rolled over into 2025.
Several other teams — from the Bills to the Browns to the Chiefs to the Commanders to the Ravens — have been tied to Adams. The Chiefs should be considered extremely unlikely for obvious reasons, and the Ravens have not discussed Adams with the Raiders in days. A Washington landing would be interesting, given Jayden Daniels‘ status as the runaway Offensive Rookie of the Year favorite, while Buffalo — after opting to trade Stefon Diggs — may be more amenable to meeting Vegas’ terms after Josh Allen struggled without Khalil Shakir available Sunday. The Bills have two 2025 second-round picks, via the Diggs trade.
Other wideouts are undoubtedly set to become available, but Adams being on the block early presents help nearly a month before the trade deadline. The 31-year-old WR’s hamstring injury is not expected to be an issue much longer. While a trade now would mean a higher base salary for a player who may end up a rental — as two nonguaranteed years at high prices ($35.6MM, $36.6MM) remain on Adams’ contract — but this is a rare talent who should have some productive years left. We appear close to learning Adams’ third NFL destination.
